Using Commas with Coordinating Conjunctions

Using Commas with Coordinating Conjunctions

What is a Conjunction?

A conjunction is a part of speech that allows us to connect or join two words, sentences, phrases or clauses together. We can also think of it as connectors.

Types of Conjunctions:

• Coordinating Conjunctions

• Subordinating Conjunctions

• Correlative Conjunctions

What are Coordinating Conjunctions?

They connect words, phrases, and clauses that are of equal value and/or importance to the sentence.

Compound Sentence:

• Sometimes you can make your writing sound less choppy by combining two sentences into a compound sentence.

• A compound sentence is two sentences joined together by the coordinating conjunction and, but, or, or so.

• There is usually a comma before the conjunction.

Multiple Choice

What is a conjunction?

• A person, place, thing, or idea.

• A group of words that expresses a statement, question, command, or wish.

• It lets us to connect two words, sentences, phrases or clauses together. We can also think of it as connectors.

Multiple Choice

What are coordinating conjunctions?

• A word that expresses an act, occurrence, or state of being.

• They connect words, phrases, and clauses that are of equal value to the sentence.

• Something that may be seen or felt.

Multiple Choice

What is a compound sentence?

• A simple sentence

• When there is usually a comma before the conjunction

• Two sentences joined together by the coordinating conjunction and, but, or, or so.

What Am I Doing?

• I Am Joining Together Two Simple Sentences

• By Using a Comma and a Coordinating Conjunction

• Then, It Creates a Compound Sentence

• Because I Am Smart!

How Am I Doing It?

1) Write Your First Simple Sentence.

2) Replace the Period With a Comma.

3) Add the Correct Coordinating Conjunction.

4) Write Your Second Simple Sentence With Any Needed Changes.

5) Don't forget your period.

HINT:

• Use and when you mean “also.”

• Use but or yet when you want to show a difference.

• Use or or nor when you want to show a choice.

• Use so when you want to give a reason or show a result.

Hint: Pay Close Attention

• The meaning of a sentence can change depending on which conjunction is used.

• Be sure to decide the purpose of the conjunction in the sentence.

• Try using different conjunctions until the sentence makes sense.

DIRECTIONS:

In the following exercises, turn the sentence pairs into single compound sentences, each with a coordinating conjunction. You can rearrange or add words in the sentence to make it sound better, but only if it's necessary. 

Multiple Choice

The black dog has won many prizes. He doesn't know many tricks.

• The black dog has won many prizes, but he doesn’t know many tricks.

• The black dog has won many prizes, nor he doesn’t know many tricks.

• The black dog has won many prizes, so he doesn’t know many tricks.

• The black dog has won many prizes, or he doesn’t know many tricks.

Multiple Choice

She saw a cat run in front of her. She fell down while roller-skating.

• She saw a cat run in front of her, yet she fell down while roller-skating

• She saw a cat run in front of her, so she fell down while roller-skating

• She saw a cat run in front of her, but she fell down while roller-skating

• She saw a cat run in front of her, or she fell down while roller-skating

Multiple Choice

There was a meteor shower. The crew did not know how to avoid the meteors.

• There was a meteor shower in space, or the crew did not know how to avoid the meteors.

• There was a meteor shower in space, but the crew did not know how to avoid the meteors.

• There was a meteor shower in space, so the crew did not know how to avoid the meteors.

• There was a meteor shower in space, nor the crew did not know how to avoid the meteors.

Multiple Choice

The United States has many national parks. Yosemite is one of the oldest.

• The United States has many national parks, nor Yosemite is one of the oldest.

• The United States has many national parks, or Yosemite is one of the oldest.

• The United States has many national parks, and Yosemite is one of the oldest.

• The United States has many national parks, so Yosemite is one of the oldest.

Multiple Choice

It is home to many animals. It also has unusual plant life.

• It is home to many animals, or it also has unusual plant life.

• It is home to many animals, so it also has unusual plant life.

• It is home to many animals, nor it also has unusual plant life.

• It is home to many animals, but it also has unusual plant life.

Multiple Choice

You can camp at Yosemite. You can stay in a hotel.

• You can camp at Yosemite, and you can stay in a hotel.

• You can camp at Yosemite, or you can stay in a hotel.

• You can camp at Yosemite, nor you can stay in a hotel.

• You can camp at Yosemite, yet you can stay in a hotel.

Multiple Choice

I love seeing wildlife. I want to visit Yosemite.

• I love seeing wildlife, so I want to visit Yosemite.

• I love seeing wildlife, yet I want to visit Yosemite.

• I love seeing wildlife, nor I want to visit Yosemite.

• I love seeing wildlife, but I want to visit Yosemite.

Multiple Choice

Wild bears live in this park. They often come to campsites looking for food.

• Wild bears live in this park, for they often come to campsites looking for food

• Wild bears live in this park, nor they often come to campsites looking for food

• Wild bears live in this park, yet they often come to campsites looking for food

• Wild bears live in this park, and they often come to campsites looking for food

Multiple Choice

The bears may look cute. Don’t ever feed them!

• The bears may look cute, but don’t ever feed them!

• The bears may look cute, for don’t ever feed them!

• The bears may look cute, so don’t ever feed them!

• The bears may look cute, and don’t ever feed them!

Multiple Select

What is the correct way to write the underlined part the sentence?

Yosemite became a national park in 1890 and today millions of people explore it.

• in 1890 but today millions

• in 1890 and, today millions

• in 1890, and today millions

• in 1890 so, today millions

Multiple Select

What is the correct way to write the underlined part the sentence?

At Yosemite’s museum you can read books so you can look at photographs on the walls

• books, or you can look at

• books, so you can look at

• books or, you can look at

• books but, you can look at

Multiple Select

What is the correct way to write the underlined part the sentence?

The park is open all year round but some of the roads close in winter.

• all year round or some

• all year round, but some

• all year round, or some

• all year round but, some

Multiple Select

Yosemite is filled with natural wonders, or enjoy it when you visit!

• natural wonders, but, enjoy

• natural wonders so enjoy

• natural wonders, so enjoy

• natural wonders, and enjoy